Collagen Supplements

I get asked all the time if collagen supplements actually work and the short answer is yes, however, let’s discuss this a little bit before you run out and buy a tub to put in your morning coffee. Collagen supplements have increased in popularity due to media and overall interest in lifestyle supplementation. However, given the lack of regulation, it is hard for us as medical technicians in confidence to advise our patients to spend money on these products.

We know that nutrition can have a profound effect on overall skin health and aging, so supplementation sounds like a good idea doesn’t it? With collagen supplementation, we are looking to replace the 1% of collagen that we start losing every year in our mid-20s, 5 years after menopause we have lost up to 30%, and then we start losing 2% of our collagen every year after that.

So what does that mean for our face? The density of our collagen decreases the thickness of the dermis decreases, our collagen fibers begin to fragment and become shorter, irregular, less organized, and as a result, we lose the ability to retain moisture and our skin loses elasticity and becomes more wrinkled. 

Even though there are four main types of collagen used in the production of supplements; to save time and get to the bottom line, marine collagen was found to be most effective, although seafood allergies need to be taken into account when recommending them to patients. We used to think the collagen was absorbed in the G.I. track but now new evidence suggests that it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream via the small intestines.

Collagen supplementation has been found to enhance skin elasticity, texture and improvement in collagen and structure when used daily. The dissolvable powder/liquid marine collagen was found to be superior in bioavailability and absorption, and most studies recommended around 10g per day. So there you have it, the L.A.B. med spa now approves your collagen supplementation, but we will still say that dermal filler is by far superior for volume replacement. So we don’t mind if you take collagen supplements as long as you still come in for your dermal filler appointments regularly.

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